153THE TEMPLES
TEMPLES OF BAGAN
TEMPLES OF BAGANtemples, monasteries and stupas have been
speculatively rebuilt from mounds of rub-
ble since 1995, and a further 688 damaged
buildings have received major repairs.
‘There are now at least 3300 "sites" in
Bagan and they are still digging up new
ones’, says Hudson, who points out that
many international authorities have criti-
cised the poor workmanship and historically
inaccurate methods, styles and materials of-
ten being employed.
Putting this into perspective, Hudson
notes that construction appears to have be-
gun on new monuments every two weeks
between 1200 and 1280. Down history these
hastily built structures have been patched
up, repaired and rebuilt. ‘It’s the ancestors
of the same dodgy contractors who are do-
ing the work today’, he quips.
A LIVING RELIGIOUS SITE
Following the 1975 quake, Unesco spent 15
years and over US$1 million on restoration
projects. But Bagan’s current advanced state
of restoration is mainly because of a hugely
successful donations program initiated by
the government in the mid-1990s and enthu-
siastically supported by many merit-making
locals. The result, according to one Unesco
offi cial, is ‘a Disney-style fantasy version of
one of the world’s great religious and histori-
cal sites’.
Defending the rebuilding programme,
Culture Minister Win Sein was quoted in
The New Light of Myanmar as saying ‘it is
our national duty to preserve, strengthen
and restore all the cultural heritage monu-
ments of Bagan to last and exist forever’,
pointing out that the temples are ‘living
religious monuments highly venerated and
worshipped by Myanmar people’.
This confl ict of interests aside, zoning
restrictions continue to be broken in the
Bagan archaeological area, the most notable
recent examples being the construction of
the Aureum Palace’s Bagan Viewing Tower
at the east end of the central plain and the
new (2008) Bagan Golden Palace – both of
which seem large and incongruous on the
temple-strewn plain.THE TEMPLES
This section covers the highlights of the thou-
sands of temple sites you can visit in Bagan.
For other details about Bagan, includingTemples of Bagan
æTop Sights 9 Htilominlo Pahto ....................................B2
Abeyadana Pahto .................................. A4 10 Kyanzittha Umin.....................................C2
Ananda Ok Kyaung ................................ B1 11 Kyasin......................................................A4
Buledi...................................................... B3 12 Kyat Kan Kyaung....................................C3
Gubyaukgyi ............................................ A4 13 Lawkananda Paya ..................................A5
Lawkahteikpan Pahto............................ A3 14 Leimyethna Pahto..................................C3
Nagayon ................................................. A4 15 Mahabodhi Paya.....................................B1
Nandamannya Pahto ............................ C3 16 Manuha Paya ..........................................A4
Payathonzu ............................................ C3 17 Mimalaung Kyaung ................................A2
Pyathada Paya ....................................... C4 18 Mingalazedi Paya ...................................A3
Shwesandaw Paya................................. A3 19 Myazedi...................................................A3
Shwezigon Paya .................................... C1 20 Nan Paya.................................................A4
Sulamani Pahto ..................................... B3 21 Nathlaung Kyaung .................................B2
Thabek Hmauk ...................................... B3 22 Pahtothamya ..........................................B2
Upali Thein ............................................. B2 23 Pebinkyaung Paya..................................A1
24 Pitaka Taik ..............................................B1
æSights 25 Seinnyet Ama Pahto ..............................A5
1 Ananda Pahto ........................................ B1 Seinnyet Nyima Paya................... (see 25)
2 Anauk Petleik Paya................................ A5 26 Shwegugyi ..............................................B1
3 Ashe Petleik Paya .................................. A5 27 Somingyi Kyaung ...................................A4
4 Bupaya ................................................... A1 28 Tayok Pye Paya ......................................C3
5 Dhammayangyi Pahto........................... B3 29 Thambula Pahto.....................................C3
6 Dhammayazika Paya............................. B4 30 Tharaba Gate..........................................B1
7 Gawdawpalin Pahto............................... A1 31 Thatbyinnyu Pahto.................................B1
8 Gubyauknge ........................................... C2 32 Wetkyi-in-Gubyaukgyi .......................... C2